Clink Hostel wants to rehabilitate CTT building in Lisbon
The Clink Hostel Group, an Irish group with a network of hostels in several European cities, intends to convert the old CTT building, located on Rua da Palma, next to Martim Moniz, in Lisbon, a place characterized by a great multiculturalism into a Hostel.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he investment made by the Dolan family, owner of Clinks Hostels, in Lisbon is made exclusively using equity, with a value of around 25 million. The project, similarly to what is already done in other cities by the same Group, aims to have a differentiating component, making this space a stage for those who stay there. Thus, sharing their stories and travels and be an actor around their adventures, with the intention of supporting local communities by helping those who need it most.
According to Terry Devey, representative of the Dolan family, “we have a different concept of a Hostel. Our intention is always to look for an older building, to rehabilitate, giving it a new life and helping to change the condition of the surrounding space in the city. On the other hand, we always intend to be close to the community where we operate, supporting and helping what we need, always in partnership with the local authorities, in this case with the Parish Council of Santa Maria Maior”.
And he adds, “to have integrative projects in local communities, offering, for example, Portuguese classes to foreigners and English to Portuguese residents in the surrounding areas. Or partner with restaurants or other commercial spaces, in order to help those most in need”.
All Clink Group Hostels add a concept of real estate rehabilitation in historic areas, which encompass a new paradigm of intervention in rehabilitation at the level of local accommodation and interconnection with the community. The goal is to be an integral part of the community where they are inserted, a situation that already happens for example in Amsterdam.
The Hostel to be built in Lisbon, rehabilitating the old CTT building, intends to have about 750 beds. Consisting of two structural bodies, one with three and the other with four floors, joined by a patio. The property has a gross area of 4,401 m2, with the capacity to become a development pole with the communities.
The Clink Group expects to create around 90 jobs and expects revenues for the city to be around 7 million euros a year.
The project is under licensing for housing, being subsequently changed to local accommodation (LA), however, it has been waiting for its approval at the Lisbon City Council for about a year.
“Our Hostels are not a common local accommodation, our units are equivalent to a three-star Hotel and we always work in an integrative way with the community that receives us. This is always a great asset for the cities where we find ourselves, because we are in permanent collaboration with the local authorities. We would like Lisbon to welcome us and accept our support in the rehabilitation of this space, hoping in a short period to extend our offer to the city of Porto”, concludes Terry Devey.
The architectural project was designed by Frederico Valssasina Arquitectos and has Patria as Project Manager.
